Since we're further from the equator, the UK is one of 70 countries that move its timezone to maximise on daylight savings. So, when do the clocks go back now that autumn has arrived? We're on countdown this week because, this Sunday 25 October the clocks will go back to Greenwich Meantime (GMT) again, officially ending British Summertime (BST)

The good news is, we gain an extra hour in bed. The bad news is our bodies don't necessarily get the same memo our iPhones do at 2am. And if you happen to have young sleepers in the house, it can confuse their bedtime routine, too.

In the United Kingdom, the clocks go forward by one hour at 1am on the last Sunday in March, and back one hour at 2am on the last Sunday in October. This means British Summertime officially ends this Sunday 25 October and Greenwich Meantime will begin once more this weekend.

If it feels earlier than usual, that's because the 1st of November falls on a Sunday this year, which means the clock change is happening on the earliest possible date for 2026.

Our bodies are sensitive to changes in our environment and when it comes to sleep in particular, our bodies run on our internal clock, known as the circadian rhythm. It uses external cues such as light exposure and meal timings to keep to time, but when these things change (whether we gain or lose and hour), it can cause grogginess, fatigue and a jet-lagged feeling.

There are steps we can take before the clock change to ease our bodies in, says Dr Lindsay Browning, psychologist, neuroscientist and sleep expert for And So To Bed (we've covered them below).

But once the clock change hits, “consistency is everything,” notes Gary Brecka, human biologist and founder of The Ultimate Human Wellness. “Particularly in the first three days following the clock change.” If we give our bodies the consistent cues outlined below, it can help us adapt more smoothly.

An hour may not feel like much, but it can still impact your mood and mental clarity. “To help your body adjust quickly to the new time, it can be a good idea to gradually alter your bedtime two to three days before the clocks change so that you get used to falling asleep and waking up later,” notes Dr Browning. Just a 15 minute shift each day can get you on track.“You can even move your breakfast, lunch and dinner a little later each day too, since the timing of mealtimes also has an impact on our internal clock.”

Once the clocks have changed though, pick a routine that works for you, and stick to it. “Keeping a regular wake and bedtime seven days per week will help you sleep better,” says Dr Browning. She explains that when we keep a regular sleep schedule, our bodies develop a robust circadian rhythm which helps us to sleep at the right time at night.

Likewise, it's good to maintain consistent mealtimes, says Gary who recommends avoiding late-night meals or snacking for the first three days following the clock change. “Keeping regular meal timings can help your body adjust to its new schedule,” he says.

Make the most of natural daylight

With the days getting shorter and darker, it can be hard to find a time to get out into natural daylight, especially if you're leaving the house and returning home while it's dark. “With daylight becoming increasingly limited, it's important to make the most of it wherever we can. Whether that's stepping outside during your lunch break, taking a quick walk around the office or simply spending a few minutes outdoors, even small moments of natural daylight can help support your circadian rhythm,” says Gary who recommends getting outside within 10-20 minutes of waking, even on cloudy mornings. “Natural daylight is one of the strongest signals for regulating our internal body clock,” he notes. “Morning light helps to suppress lingering melatonin. It supports alertness and signals to the body that it's time to start the day,” he adds.

Exercising directly impacts our need for sleep and the more exercise you get, the more deep sleep you can expect, says Dr Browning. This is important because “deep sleep helps you to feel refreshed when you wake up, and helps with sleep continuity,” she explains.

If you enjoy an afternoon coffee or a late night cup of tea, this one's a bit of a bummer, but caffeine can stay in our system for around 5 hours or more, which means it's not the best choice of beverage before bed. Dr Lindsay recommends having our last hit of caffeine at 2pm.

Numerous studies have joined up the dots between scrolling on our phones and finding it hard to sleep. All of that blue light shining in our faces isn't good for us. And the rapid-fire TikTok clips? They're too overstimulating for our brains to be dealing with while we're trying to wind down.

Dr Lindsay recommends switching off our phones (and any other electronic devices like TVs, laptops and tablets) at least an hour before bed. The blue light that smartphones emit “trick the brain into thinking it is day time which can make it difficult to transition into sleep mode when bedtime rolls around,” she explains.

Given the extra time you should save from binning off doomscrolling or shutting down Netflix early, it's worthwhile to slot a bath in instead. Ideally, you want to be bathing within an hour of heading to bed. “Having a relaxing warm bath before bed will not only help you to wind down after a busy day, but also the temperature of the bath will help you sleep. When you go to sleep, your body temperature naturally decreases,” explains Dr Lindsay.

Having a warm bath before bed, artificially raises your body temperature “and when you come out of the warm bath, your body temperature will naturally start to drop, mimicking the drop in temperature that happens as you fall asleep, making you feel sleepier,” she adds.

Create a wind-down routine

Putting everything we've discussed into practice, a consistent wind-down routine can be a great way to signal to our body that we're heading to bed. Alongside our phone screens and telly screens, bright artificial lighting in the evening can interfere with melatonin production, making it harder to fall asleep. Gary suggests dimming household lights and switching in warmer lighting. And, following a warm bath or shower (as above), a few minutes of slow breathing and a cool, dark bedroom can also help prepare the body for restful sleep.